


Finis

by PrincessMarth



Category: Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-12
Updated: 2013-09-12
Packaged: 2017-12-26 08:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/964013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessMarth/pseuds/PrincessMarth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarisse's last thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finis

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for entire novel, BE WARNED

Silence. It was hard to come by, but Clarisse waited until the people had retreated inside their homes for the night to go out. She slipped out the front door each evening to meet the slowly descending sun as it made its way to the other side of the world. She’d stand at the corner every night, until Montag arrived. He broke her peace, yes, but she enjoyed talking to him. He actually paid attention to her, unlike anyone else in this desolate suburb. Clarisse approached the corner, as Montag came into view. He was a sight, reeking of kerosene as usual, scruffy and sooty, like a puppy that has rolled in a fire pit. Sometimes she felt like she was in love with him, but it was more than that. It was like he was the last smouldering ember in the blackened pit of despair that was the city. She didn’t want to go to bed with him, not in the traditional sense. It would be nice just to listen to him sleep, watch the unhappiness wash away from his features. Her heart hurt when she thought of him going home to his wife every night. At least she had her parents and her uncle. Clarisse imagined Myrtle as a white-blonde ice queen, inaccessible under the thick layer of snow that surrounded her, unable to be warmed by even Montag’s fragile fire. As they walked, she chatted with him about anything she could think about, like how she had heard that people used to keep dogs as pets, or that she had found a dandelion blossoming in her back yard earlier that morning. He was finally taking the time to listen to her answers, learning the art of conversation. After he had left her for the night, Clarisse decided to walk to the local Fun Park and watch the jet cars. She liked driving in them on occasion, but tonight she wanted to simply watch. To her, the cars were like watching a high-speed ballet, even though she had never seen such a thing. The cars zigzagged and swerved like elegant swans, careening around lampposts and mailboxes as fast as lightning. Even the crashes were spectacular, though Clarisse did not enjoy the carnage that predictably came as a result. 

As she walked, Clarisse thought she heard a car, even though the street was usually dead at this time of night. She moved to step off the curb, but leapt back as a previously invisible car zoomed past, barely inches from the tips of her shoes. Clarisse kept going, assuming that the car was simply some rowdy kids from her school, but had to jump out of the way again as the car once again skid by her, even closer this time. She decided to go back home, deciding that tonight was not the night to be out on the streets. Her pace quickened as she heard the car turn around again. Clarisse broke into a sprint as the car bore down on her, headlights finally turning on, as if marking their target so the driver would be sure not to miss. She heard the thump first as the car hit her, then felt the wind rushing past her as she sailed through the air. Her head connected with the pavement, and there was a slight crunching noise that only Clarisse could hear as her skull fractured. Tears and blood mixed as they ran down her face. She thought of calling out to her parents, her uncle, Montag, anyone that she could say goodbye to, but realized that it would pain them more to see her dying than to hear about it after. She silently said a prayer, not to anyone in particular but the universe itself, to keep her family safe, and to make sure that one day Montag would attain true happiness. His name was bittersweet on her lips as blackness clouded her vision. The last thing she heard before dying was a murmured conversation, discussing the raise the two of them would get for completing this job for the Captain.


End file.
